In 2002 I was diagnosed with a CSF leak. I learned to lie down when ever I experienced a headache and wait for the fluid to build back up and then I could get up and around for a couple of hours. During this time my neurologist decided to prescribe prednisone to help control the pain from the headaches. I was sent to Mayo clinic for more testing and confirmation of the diagnosis. When Dr. Makri asked about the medication I was taking, I mentioned the prednisone. He told me he wasn't happy about that and we began to taper back to get off the prednison. I had several MRI's previous to being on the Prednisone and none mentioned Cerebellar Tonsils being descended.
However, at Mayo, my MRI did show the cerebellar tonsil has descended. While on the prednisone, which was for several weeks, the headache was masked or missing. I didn't know when to lie down to have the fluid stabilize.
After my 3rd blood patch the leak was sealed and the headaches left. Then 3 years later I began to have symptom after symptom that was diagnosed in 07 as Chiari Malformation. Dr. Di successfully operated on me in early 08.
My question is: Even though Chiari is congenital, the MRI previous to the prednisone did not mention the tonsil descention. Could the prednisone with it's masking of the headache pain and my remaining upright have been what caused the tonsil descension and the resultant Chiari malformation?